Lots of water coming out of chicken breasts when cooking in pan. Why?
When I cook chicken breasts in a pan, a lot of water comes out of them.
I've seen this answer: My chicken breasts release a lot of fluid when cooked. How do I prevent this?
where some people suggest that this has to do with the quality of the chicken and that certain producers/supermarkets will actually "pump" their chickens full of water.
However, what i don't understand is that I'm buying those from Whole Foods and that they are supposedly air chilled (which someone in the above-quoted answer suggests getting), so shouldn't they be high quality?
Is the reality that even WF is scamming its customers by pumping chickens full of water? Is their chicken just not that high quality?
If that's the case, where can you possibly get good chicken? (Serious question if you know a place, I live in Cambridge MA, US)
Best Answer
Liquid naturally comes out of all meats as they cook. If you're using high heat and a frying pan, you don't really notice it because it evaporates quickly. That brown stuff you see in a frying pan after cooking meat on high heat are the evaporated juices.
If you're baking them at around 350 F, you'll also notice water being released. This is amplified if you overcrowd the cooking vessel. You don't see it in a whole roasted chicken or roast beef for example because the liquid coming out caramelizes and creates those lovely browned bits to make a sauce or gravy.
I doubt that WF is selling water and phosphate tumbled chicken breasts.
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Why does water come out of my chicken when I fry it?
Liquid naturally comes out of all meats as they cook. If you're using high heat and a frying pan, you don't really notice it because it evaporates quickly. That brown stuff you see in a frying pan after cooking meat on high heat are the evaporated juices.How do you get rid of excess water when cooking chicken?
He recommends air drying the meat out of the package in the fridge for up to four hours, and then patting it down with a clean paper towel to soak up any remaining moisture. "You can even have it air dry in your refrigerator for a day or two if you want," he says. "That's a trick for my fried chicken.Does chicken leave water while cooking?
Chicken has water in it and that's natural, just like our bodies have mostly water. When frying or roasting it some will leak out and is very normal. Too much comes out and the meat will be dry.6 mistakes to avoid when cooking chicken!
More answers regarding lots of water coming out of chicken breasts when cooking in pan. Why?
Answer 2
There is no way to completely prevent the chicken breasts from releasing water. However, you can minimize it by the way you cook. Not crowding the number of pieces in the pan is the most effective, followed by searing the meat when you first put it into the pan, then turning down the heat to complete the cooking. Searing to lock in a lot of the water will result in a cooked meat that is moister and retains more taste than one in which the water is allowed to stew itself out during cooking. Finally, cook with the lid on the pan only for five minutes at most. After that, cook the chicken in an open pan to encourage evaporation or water and to help prevent over-cooking.
Answer 3
Yes, Whole Foods (much like other supermarkets) is now selling chicken loaded with water. It did not used to be this way. One result -- beyond the overcharging -- is that it has become impossible to sauté chicken in the United States. When you think you're sauté-ing, you're actually steaming.
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